


Freezer Burn

by deepestfathoms



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Drowning, Falling Through Ice, Gen, Huddling For Warmth, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Ice Skating, Maternal Instinct, Mom Friend Jane Seymour, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Naked Cuddling, Sharing Body Heat, Snow Day, skin-to-skin contact is the best way to help with hypothermia, this is all SFW ya nasties, you WILL get secondhand embarrassment reading this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25537252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepestfathoms/pseuds/deepestfathoms
Summary: Instead of going to a packed ice rink, the queens and ladies in waiting decide to ice skate on a secluded frozen lake Anne and Cleves had found. By the time they finally realize that you should never skate on random sheets of possibly-unstable ice, it was too late.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Freezer Burn

“It’s so pretty!” Kitty cried, bounding from the car towards the glittering frozen lake.

“Oi! Wait up!” Anne yelled, tugging on her puffy green coat and racing after her cousin. Cleves and Maggie were close on her tail, eager to get out in the open.

“Be careful!” Aragon shouted, helping the others take out all their things, though it wasn’t that much- a few chairs, some blankets, snacks and water bottles, items for games, and, of course, the ice skates.

Jane shook her head fondly with a laugh. “And there they go.”

“Dummies.” Aragon sighed, then smiled. “Come on. Let’s go catch up.”

They crunched through the thick layer of snow over the ground, chatting over what they were planning on doing. Behind them, another pair of footsteps trudged after them.

“Will you stop moping?” Jane sighed, swinging her head around to the girl who mimicked her appearance nearly exactly.

Joan wrinkled her nose. She folded her arms up closer to hold herself tighter and shuffled her feet nervously, then immediately regretted that decision when a few chunks of snow got into her boots. She shook her foot with a pitiful expression plastered on her tired face.

“It’s _cold_.” She said for the hundredth time.

“We know, dear,” Aragon said gently, although Jane could tell she was a little frustrated from the way she flared out her nostrils. She had been looking forward to this trip for a long time and definitely didn’t want it to be ruined for her. “But you’ll warm up soon.”

“How?” Joan said miserably. “Also, this is _dangerous_! An actual ice rink would be a lot better…” She looked around, as if she were expecting a glacier to suddenly appear and crush all of them.

“But expensive.” Jane pointed out.

“And packed.” Aragon added. She was getting more irritated by the second and kept glancing longingly at the frozen lake behind her. “Come on, it’s not that bad. You’ll have fun!”

Joan made a face and looked like she was trying to pull a scenario where she did have a good time, but wasn’t finding anything in the whirlwind that was her mind.

“But- but-” She scrambled after Jane and Aragon as they continued their trek. Cathy, Maria, and Bessie had already gone ahead and made it down to the bay, where they were currently putting on their ice skates (although Bessie was insisting that she didn’t need them). “What if we- we could- we could fall through! Or get hypothermia! Or frostbite!” She cast a nervous glance at her glove-covered hands, as if she were imaging what it would be like playing the keyboard without all her fingers. When she looked up again, Jane and Aragon were several paces away. “Wait!”

She caught up to the two queens, walking alongside Jane, who practically seemed like the pompous, more confident version of her. When they reached the shore, she took one glance at the lake and then backed up several steps.

“Come on, Joan,” Jane said with a sigh. “Don’t be such a buzzkill.”

Aragon laughed. “Real mature, Jane.”

Jane grinned at her, then crouched down to get her ice skates on. Aragon does the same, while Joan, unsurprisingly, hangs back. She’s now directed her attention to the others, who have already begun sliding on the ice. She took another step back.

“Joan, dear, everything will be fine.” Aragon told her. Joan gave her a betrayed look. “Jane, are you done?”

Jane laughed. “Go ahead and start without me. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Aragon nodded and hurried out onto the ice without a second of hesitation. Jane stood up a moment later, wobbling slightly on the ice skates. Behind her, she heard Joan mutter a soft, “Please be careful” before she joined the others on the lake.

Joan is left alone on the shore, sitting in a spot she’s dug out for herself without any snow. She hugged her knees and watched everyone have fun, but she couldn’t bring herself to join them. A million bad situations were running through her head: The ice cracking and everyone falling in, hypothermia, frostbite, falling through the ice again, a sudden blizzard and they all freeze to death, drowning- all of them drowning was her most persistent fear. And it was something they should be worrying about, too, but she guessed it didn’t cross their mind at all.

She sighed and rested her chin on her knees. She could already imagine what they were thinking about her: _Why is Joan always so mopey?_ and _Why does Joan always have to ruin this for us?_ and _Why did Joan even come along if she’s going to act so miserable?_ and _What’s wrong with Joan?_. They were all just going on in their heads about how terrible she was, she just knew it.

Well, she didn’t need them. She could have fun on her own!

Joan stood up and explored down the perimeter of the lake, far enough to where she couldn’t hear the other’s voices, but close enough to where she could still see them. From her position, they were just colorful dots sliding haphazardly across the ice. Even from a distance it still made her nervous. How could they do something so stupid and dangerous?

She sighed and poked the ice with her foot worriedly, then immediately drew her leg back. She frowned and continued down the bay, deep in thought.

 _You’re dragging them all down,_ Her mind mumbled ruefully. _You want them to like you, and yet you continue to act like this. A buzzkill. Is that what you want to be? The person who ruins everything for everyone?_

Joan shook her head softly and glanced over her shoulder, hoping to see one of her friends coming to hang out or play with her. She perked up when she saw that someone _was_ skating over to her, but then immediately deflated when she saw the hot pink of the jacket they were wearing.

“What do you want?” She grumbled at Kitty, who skidded to a halt in front of her on the ice.

“Ah, so you guessed I’m not over here for your bubbly personality,” Kitty said with a light giggle that earned her a scowl that could melt the ice beneath her feet. “I just wanted to talk.”

“About what?” Joan asked skeptically, eyeing the youngest queen up and down. She didn’t look like she was going to try anything, especially on those ice skates. Although they could probably cut her if she put them against her skin with enough force.

“Oh, you know,” Kitty twirled her wrist. She glanced momentarily back at the others. “Okay, I’ll just cut to the chase.” She inched further to the bay. “Joan, you’re kinda…bringing everyone else down.”’

“What?” Joan said sharply.

“You’re trying to convince everyone that they’re going to die or something.” Kitty clarified. “It’s weird. And kinda creepy.”

Joan crossed her arms. “Because being on fragile ice is _dangerous_!” She snapped, but Kitty rolled her eyes.

“We’re trying to have fun.” She said. She peered at Joan for a moment then tilted her head at her as if she were a peculiar art sculpture. “You know, I think I’ve finally got you figured out.”

Joan stepped back a little. “What?” She growled.

“You’re like a bomb.” Kitty declared. “That puts everyone in danger. And we’re all just waiting for when you’ll finally go off.”

Joan flinched as if she had been sprayed with the venom loaded in the young queen’s words. She took another step away, but Kitty just slid closer to her like a hideous poisonous snake just waiting to sink her fangs into her prey’s throat.

“You don’t think I don’t notice the way to eye Jane and I all the time?” Kitty went on. “It’s so creepy. You’re _so jealous_. You’re gonna pop one day and I’m scared you might hurt one of us.” She extended a hand and set it on Joan’s shoulder, smirking softly at the shivers she felt pulsing beneath her palm. “And I’m very worried about you. You need help.”

Joan clawed off Kitty’s hand and glared at the queen. She ruffled herself up to her full size, but even _Katherine Howard_ was more intimidating than her.

“Get the fuck away from me.” She seethed. Kitty looked unfazed by her rage; her face continued to wear the mock-concerned expression that made Joan want to gouge her eyeballs out with her thumbs.

 _Oh dear,_ Joan thought, alarmed. _Is that what Katherine meant?_ She glanced momentarily at her hands, half expecting them to be dripping with blood and eyeball fluids. _No- no, of course not! Katherine doesn’t know anything about me! I’m not a bad person!_

“Joey? Joey?” Kitty is waving a hand in front of Joan’s face. She smiled innocently at the scowl she earned. “There you are! You kinda drifted off for a moment.” Her mock-concern returned to her facial features. “Are you feeling alright?” She extended a hand to feel Joan’s forehead and it was slapped away.

“I said to leave me alone!” Joan barked. She advanced on Kitty, but jolted backwards the moment her foot touched the ice. Kitty laughed loudly- it was a terrible, high-pitched cackling noise that rattled in her ears.

“I expect no less from you,” She said, smiling crookedly. She slid back against the ice, moving elegantly on her skates. “Bye, Joey!”

Joan was left fuming, but her rage was quickly snuffed out when a cold breeze blew past her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, staring down at the faint reflection glimmering back at her on the ice.

 _That bitch._ Her mind seethed. The usual drizzle that cascaded through her head has picked up into a downpour of angry thoughts; Kitty being left out here ‘on accident’ and turning into a hot pink popsicle, Kitty getting pelted in the face with a snowball that has a rock hidden in it, Kitty falling through the ice and freezing to death.

She quickly silenced them, however. As much as she didn’t like the youngest queen, she didn’t want her dead. Not exactly. But she wouldn’t be devastated if she got hypothermia by some chance.

 _I’m not- I’m not a fucking bomb! If anyone is a bomb it’s her!_ She raged internally, stomping her foot against the frozen dirt blanketing the bay. _With her trauma and tragic backstory and sadness! Oh, who am I kidding? She’s living in the lap of luxury. She’s anything BUT a bomb. She’s just a pampered pink Pomeranian! Haha…nice alliteration._

She shook her head, leering at the ice, which bounced back with a painfully bright glare. She scrunched her eyes shut and sighed.

_I’m not dragging everyone down, either… I can have fun!_

She stepped onto the ice, immediately backed away, and then took several seconds to try again. This time, she manages to get both feet onto the surface and stand there. The ice creams beneath her, but doesn’t crack. She took another step after a moment of waiting, then another, then another, until she’s far away from the shore. A feeling of pride welled in her chest, beating down the underlying sensation of fear and anxiety and worry.

 _Haha! Suck my ass, Katherine!_ Her mind declared triumphantly. _Who’s a coward now?_

She wasn’t up to skating, especially without proper skates, but she at least tried to slide a few inches. It was pretty fun- she could see why the others would enjoy this, but she definitely preferred to be at a proper ice rink.

Joan scooted herself around to face the distant figures of the queens and ladies in waiting, and was upset to see that they weren’t even looking in her direction. She really wanted them to see how she WASN’T a buzzkill and she DID know how to have fun, but they didn’t even seem to care about her anymore. They were too busy messing around on the ice and playing with some hockey sticks that were brought along to notice her.

Joan sighed and shivered as a cold breeze whisked past her. She waited for a moment longer, shifting her weight when her knees got tired, and heard a terrible, nightmarish sound from below her.

_Crack-crack-crack….._

Cobwebs were spread out from the ice below one of Joan’s feet. They were thin, but deep trenches, like dreadful claw marks created by a horrible monster. Suddenly, nothing makes sense and that only makes her panic even more. The fear of the unknown keeps her mind from functioning rationally. She can’t breathe, she can’t run, she can’t escape.

 _Stay still._ Her mind whispered to her. It’s not a drizzle nor a hurricane anymore, but a vicious hailstorm. _Maybe you can call for help._

She looked back at the others, who were still sliding and skidding around without a care in the world, so oblivious to the danger she’s in just several meters away. She opened her mouth to yell for them, but nothing came out, not even a whimper or a whine. And even if she could, what could they do? If they got too close, the whole lake may collapse and they’ll all fall in. Why would they even help her, anyway? They’ve all proven that she’s just a nuisance. In fact, they would probably enjoy watching her freeze to death.

A star-shaped crack burst out from the first one, and a whimper finally surfaced in Joan’s throat. She looked up at the dark grey sky, a hot tear ran down her left cheek, and then the ice gave way under her feet and she plunged into the freezing water.

For a brief moment, she felt burning hot, but then the cold hit her like a thousand knives, sharp and insistent, driving the breath from her lungs. She tried to flounder to the surface, but even with the adrenaline rush momentarily teaching her how to swim, she still couldn’t get out. She couldn’t find the hole she fell through. She was trapped under a thick, impenetrable floor of ice.

Joan screamed, clawing desperately at the sheet of ice above her, but it does no good. Even when she hits at it, it doesn’t dent.

With a jarring shock, she realizes that this is how she died.

As her mind began to waver, succumbing to the cold, she cried for her parents to help her, but it’s no use: they couldn’t help her. They’re gone. Dead. And even if they weren’t, they wouldn’t help her, anyway. So, she cried for John, she cried for Jane, she cried for Aragon and everyone else, wishing that she had been more likable, that she didn’t stop them from doing stuff because she thought it was too dangerous and making them mad in the process, that she hadn’t have worried all the time, that she could actually call them her friends without her stomach sinking in a horrible, disbelieving way.

But it didn’t matter anymore. In just a few more moments, her lungs would finally give out, and then it would all be over.

———

“Holy shit!”

“Is she down there?!”

“What happened?! What’s going on?!”

“Oh my god—!!”

“Should I call an ambulance?!”

“What are you-”

“Where is she-”

“What is-”

“Mum, what are you doing?!”

The queens and ladies in waiting watched as Jane haphazardly sprinted across the frozen lake to the jagged hole created near the center and fell to her knees so hard cracks spread out beneath her. She crawled to the edge of the icy abyss and peered down, then scuttled backwards and frantically began scanning the ice until, suddenly, she raised her hands and began hitting at the surface. After a few swings, the ice shatters and she nearly fell in while grabbing at something. A moment later, she’s dragging something out of the water.

Joan.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Jane cursed, staring in horror at the curled up body before her. She glanced momentarily at the others on the bay, then back at Joan, who was shivering in a horrifying way that reminded Jane of the way she had trembled after she gave birth to Edward.

Suddenly, Joan coughed and water came flooding out of her mouth. The freezing shock seemed to register in her body and she let out a strangled cry that’s thick with frigid lake water. She gargled on it, too weak to scream or even cough anymore.

“Hey, hey, I’ve got you,” Jane told her, cupping one of her cheeks and turning her face up to her. The shade of blue her skin has turned to terrified her. “Fuck… Fuck!”

Jane scooped Joan up into her arms and made a beeline for the shore. She could hear the ice breaking all around her, and for a few horrific moments her feet would dip into the freezing water below, but she managed to get back to the others.

“Holy shit!” Cleves cried, bug-eyeing the blue, shivering body in Jane’s arms. “Fuck, is she- is she okay?!”

“No!” Jane snapped, racing past them back to the cars. “She’s going to fucking freeze to death!”

The others hurried after her, exchanging looks behind her back. It was a little…odd for Jane to be so concerned about Joan of all people. Most of them would have guessed she would enjoy watching the music director sink to the bottom of the frozen lake and drown. But here she was, carrying Joan through the snow like a frantic search-and-rescue officer.

They all skidded to a halt in front of the cars. Joan was shivering even more than before and her teeth have started to clatter up against each other loudly. Her moon silver eyes were glassy and glazed over, but they stared up at Jane with hope that the woman wouldn’t let her die- that she would save her. And Jane looked determined to do just that.

“What do we do?” Jane snapped her head at Cathy, who jolted slightly under her sharp gaze. “How do we help her?”

Cathy stumbled over her words for a moment before she’s able to get her head on straight. “Well— first of all, stop being so rough with her!”

“I’m not being rough!” Jane growled. “Just tell me what to do!”

“We should take her to the hospital,” Maria piped up.

That seemed to wake Joan up, because the girl suddenly whimpered and shook her head stiffly.

“N-no,” She choked out through her chattering teeth. “N-n-no h-hospital…c-can’t…go…n-no, J-J-Jane d-don’t l-l-l-let them—”

Jane looked down at Joan and knew exactly what she was fearing. She gave Maria a hard stare.

“We’re not taking her to the hospital. That’ll make her worse.”

“Actually, believe it or not, hospitals do the exact opposite of that.” Anne pointed out.

Jane looked at her like she wanted to rip her head off and feed it to some vultures.

“Yes, so she can panic and have a possible heart failure from her anxiety?” She said. “Not happening.” She whipped her gaze back to Cathy. “Come on. You’re supposed to be the smart one who knows everything. Tell me what to do. How do I help her?”

Joan made a miserable noise in Jane’s arms and the queen held her closer to her chest. She buried her half-frozen face against it, desperate for warmth and clearly not caring if it took burrowing against a bosom to get it.

“Skin-to-skin contact.” Cathy blurted. “It’s- it’s not the only way, but it’s the best way. Body heat would be more efficient than blankets.”

Everyone seemed to share a moment of secondhand embarrassment, aside from Jane, who just looked determined. She nodded.

“Alright.”

“Okay, so who’s getting naked?” Kitty said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood, but Jane scowled at her and she hunched her shoulders in and looked away.

“Wait, hold on,” Anne said. “You’re not- look, I get it, we don’t want Joan to freeze to death, but getting naked with her? Can’t we just wrap her up in some blankets and then put her in a hot bath once we get back home?”

Cathy shook her head. “Putting her in hot water could make her heartbeat irregular. She may go into shock and, well-” A grim expression flitted through her eyes. “Die.”

“Good thinking, Anne.” Jane spit. “I’ll do it.”

“But-”

“She’s seen me give birth before,” Jane said to Aragon, who was trying to reprimand. Her eyes softened slightly when she spoke to the first queen, who, unlike everyone else, genuinely looked worried about Joan. “Look, I know you’re close to her, but it’ll be less awkward like this. She’s seen my vagina already- there will be less harm in me seeing hers.”

“I mean- that’s one way to put it.” Maggie tilted her head, blinking.

“I hope you won’t be looking down there.” Cleves added.

Aragon opened her mouth, possibly to argue, but just ended up saying, “Alright. But I’m driving you guys home.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jane said. She nodded at one of the cars and Cathy scrambled to open it. She turned around at the others after setting Joan inside. “A little privacy?”

The others jolted and immediately began dispersing. Jane turned her attention back to Joan, who suddenly looked much worse. She gently touched the girl’s icy cheek and she leaned into the touch.

“You’re going to be okay,” Jane whispered.

Joan doesn’t answer, but she does shudder when a breeze of frigid air whisked through the open door. However, it cannot compete with whatever shard of ice has taken lodging in her core. Jane shut the car door after Aragon handed her all the blankets they brought with them, then got to the process of peeling off all of Joan’s layers, including her undergarments. She wanted to keep them on to leave the poor girl some dignity, but they were practically frozen to her chest and groin, so they had to go, too.

After draping a green blanket that’s dappled with white spots over her shaking patient, Jane removed her clothing and then realized what exactly she was doing. She bit her lip, feeling flutters of embarrassment flit in her stomach, but she shoved them down. She could wallow in humiliation later.

A soft gasp escaped her lips as Joan’s freezing skin pressed against her warm stomach. She was still very wet, even without all her clothes on, so Jane started to wipe off her horribly blue skin with one of the blankets while holding her close to her. Joan nuzzled into her chest and Jane winced in embarrassment, but, once again, pushed it aside. Joan _needed_ her warmth if she wanted to live.

“You’re going to be okay,” Jane whispered. She wrung out the wet blonde mop that was Joan’s hair and cold water came splashing down onto the blankets swaddling both of them. “I promise. You’re going to be just fine… I’ve got you.”

Aragon got into the driver’s seat a moment later, but didn’t look back at them, which Jane appreciated. She and Joan may have been both completely covered in blankets, but she still preferred to not be ogled at.

“How is she?” Aragon asked, pulling out of the small clearing.

“Still cold.” Jane answered, looking down at the head resting on her chest. She slipped a finger under Joan’s chin and lifted her head up slightly. “Joan? Joan?”

“‘S m’name,” Joan managed, peeling open one cloudy grey eye. “J-J-Jane?”

“Joan,” Jane said again, this time relieved. “You’re awake.”

“Th-th-think s-so,” Joan mumbled, then her body shuddered in that horrible, frightening way. She coughed weakly, which seemed to grate through her chest like icicle spears. “H-hurts…”

“I know, sweetie,” Jane whispered. The pet name gets Aragon to glance over for the first time, but her eyes quickly dart away when Jane looks up at the rearview mirror. “But you’re going to be okay. You just need to stay away for me.”

“Tired,” Joan panted, flopping her head back onto Jane’s chest. She was like a miserable, wet, shaking, bundle of anxiety in her arms.

“Here,” Aragon reached back. “Put this against her chest.” In her hand was one of the pouches they brought with them. It would heat up when squeezed.

“Thanks.” Jane took it and slipped one hand under the blankets to hold the pouch to Joan’s chest. Immediately, the girl whined faintly, attempting to squirm away, be failing and giving up after a moment. She resumed shaking and chattering her teeth and panting weakly for the rest of the drive. When her eyes would open, Jane noticed that they looked deeply troubled and stricken by something other than the hypothermia she was infected with. She wanted to ask about it, but knew it was hardly the time.

“Jane, Jane…” Joan began to mumble at some point in the drive. She pressed her face into the warmth of Jane’s neck, exhaling a shaking breath. Her fingernails scratched against the queen’s bare skin, desperate for a hold. “J-Jane…”

“I’m right here,” Jane whispered to her. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’m right here, honey.”

“Jane…” Joan muttered again, this time more contently. She blinked a few times and looked down. “You’re naked.”

Aragon snorted, but immediately tried to smother it. Even Jane had to bite back a smile.

“Yes,” She said. “I am.”

“That’s weird.” Joan said. “Am I naked?”

“Yes.”

“Hm.” Joan closed her eyes and shivered against Jane’s stomach. “You’re really, really warm…”

“I know, love.” Jane stroked her wet hair. “And soon you will be, too.”

“By cuddling naked?”

Aragon laughed this time.

“Hush,” Jane told Joan softly. “You’re doing so good. Just keep breathing and I’ll make sure you stay warm.”

“I like that plan…” Joan mumbled tiredly.

When they finally reach the house, Joan has slipped off into a daze. She’s still shivering, but not as badly. Aragon smiled slightly.

“You did good, Jane,” She said. “I’ll take her from here. You can get dressed and then join us inside.”

“Yes, because I was definitely planning on walking up to our house naked.” Jane rolled her eyes playfully.

Aragon laughed and then picked Joan up, making sure she was still swathed in all the blankets. The moment she’s gone, Jane felt a strange chill run through her and her arms seemed a lot more empty. She shook her head, deciding to just cuddle with Kitty later to get over it.

But why did it feel like Kitty wouldn’t satisfy her…?

“Thank you, Jane.” Aragon said to her. “Really.”

Jane smiled at her, although she couldn’t take her eyes off of Joan.

“It was no problem.” She said. “Just— take care of her, okay? God knows she needs someone to…”


End file.
